MODERN ART & DESIGN AUCTION

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Lot 262:
Sam
Maloof

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Sam Maloof’s enduring creations stand out as some of the most elegant furniture designs of the 20th century. Born in Chino, California in 1916, Maloof taught himself woodworking after World War II in order to furnish his first modest home with his wife Alfreda. He gradually built a reputation for his attention to detail and exquisite craftsmanship, creating pieces both durable and beautiful. One anecdote found him testing the stability of a chair’s joints by dropping it from the roof of his garage, noting that it survived the fall. Maloof’s walnut chairs were selected to furnish a number of the Case Study Houses, designed by figures like Richard Neutra, Charles Eames, and Craig Ellwood. Like these Modernist architects, Maloof prioritized functionality and simplicity, creating pared–back forms designed for optimal practicality. His pieces are recognizable for their rounded forms that contour to the body for comfortable daily use.\r\r\rAs his studio gained more commissions, Maloof had the opportunity to work with more expensive woods, resulting in increasingly luxurious designs. These versatile rosewood pieces were created especially for the office of Frank Wyle, founder and president of Wyle Labs, and were in use until Mr. Wyle’s passing. In 1966 Maloof had an early exhibition at the Egg and the Eye, the restaurant and gallery that preceded the Craft & Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles, which was founded by Wyle’s wife, Edith Wyle, in 1973. After that show, the Wyles established a long–standing friendship with Maloof and went on to commission numerous pieces from him throughout his lifetime.\r\r\rThe gentle curve of the legs and arms of the chairs and dining table suggest the warmth of the craftsman’s hand, smoothed for many years of use. When asked how he mastered the proportions of his chairs, he explained, “Well, I fit everything to myself. I’m not that tall but it seems that everything that I do, no matter if the person’s 6’8” or 5’2”, they seem to have very good support.” Ever the master woodworker, Maloof never worked with furniture manufacturers on an industrial scale like many of his peers, preferring instead to oversee every single piece that left his studio. Maloof’s unerring dedication to high quality design is evident in each of the fine pieces available here.\r\r\r“Oral History Interview with Sam Maloof, 2002 Jan. 10-11.” Interview by Mary MacNaughton. Archives of American Art. Smithsonian Institution, 3 Oct. 2005. Web. 8 Dec. 2016.

MORE INFORMATION:

Sam Maloof’s enduring creations stand out as some of the most elegant furniture designs of the 20th century. Born in Chino, California in 1916, Maloof taught himself woodworking after World War II in order to furnish his first modest home with his wife Alfreda. He gradually built a reputation for his attention to detail and exquisite craftsmanship, creating pieces both durable and beautiful. One anecdote found him testing the stability of a chair’s joints by dropping it from the roof of his garage, noting that it survived the fall. Maloof’s walnut chairs were selected to furnish a number of the Case Study Houses, designed by figures like Richard Neutra, Charles Eames, and Craig Ellwood. Like these Modernist architects, Maloof prioritized functionality and simplicity, creating pared–back forms designed for optimal practicality. His pieces are recognizable for their rounded forms that contour to the body for comfortable daily use.\r\r\rAs his studio gained more commissions, Maloof had the opportunity to work with more expensive woods, resulting in increasingly luxurious designs. These versatile rosewood pieces were created especially for the office of Frank Wyle, founder and president of Wyle Labs, and were in use until Mr. Wyle’s passing. In 1966 Maloof had an early exhibition at the Egg and the Eye, the restaurant and gallery that preceded the Craft & Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles, which was founded by Wyle’s wife, Edith Wyle, in 1973. After that show, the Wyles established a long–standing friendship with Maloof and went on to commission numerous pieces from him throughout his lifetime.\r\r\rThe gentle curve of the legs and arms of the chairs and dining table suggest the warmth of the craftsman’s hand, smoothed for many years of use. When asked how he mastered the proportions of his chairs, he explained, “Well, I fit everything to myself. I’m not that tall but it seems that everything that I do, no matter if the person’s 6’8” or 5’2”, they seem to have very good support.” Ever the master woodworker, Maloof never worked with furniture manufacturers on an industrial scale like many of his peers, preferring instead to oversee every single piece that left his studio. Maloof’s unerring dedication to high quality design is evident in each of the fine pieces available here.\r\r\r“Oral History Interview with Sam Maloof, 2002 Jan. 10-11.” Interview by Mary MacNaughton. Archives of American Art. Smithsonian Institution, 3 Oct. 2005. Web. 8 Dec. 2016.

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Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA)

16145 Hart St., Van Nuys, CA 91406

T: 323 – 904 – 1950

F: 323 - 904 - 1954

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